Training centre to help boost Indigenous jobs

Plans are in place for a training centre in the Kimberley to help people with learning difficulties find work.

Kimberley Group Training (KGT) will start construction next month on a $1.8 million facility, in Kununurra, that will provide intensive training for people struggling with literacy and numeracy.

It has come about because of the number of people, mainly Aboriginal, who are keen to find a job or apprenticeship but do not have the basic skills to do so.

KGT chief executive John Gummery says up to 15 young people at a time will be able to access intensive support.

"There's a gap and a lot of these young people have fallen through the cracks," he said.

"The skills centre is about people trying to get back up the cracks ... we're trying to ... [give them] the literacy and numeracy and employment skills they lack and hopefully they'll be able to go on to mainstream employment or into institute-based training."